Bernd Sahling, born in 1961 in Naumburg, studied from 1986 to 1991 at the "Konrad Wolf" Academy of Film & Television (HFF/B) in Babelsberg. Afterwards he worked as a freelance writer and director until he received a scholarship to attend Columbia College in Chicago and Northwestern University. In 1999, he conducted seminars and workshops on children's films in Singapore, the US, Germany, Italy, Norway, France, Russia and Tajikistan. His films include: "Lied fuer Anne" (short, 1985), "Bumerang" (short, 1986), "Alles wird gut" (TV, 1990), "Im Nest der Katze" (TV, 1991), "Warten auf Gesundheit" (short, 1994), "Im Gleisdreieck" (1995), "Zeit der Kraene" (1998) and "Gymnasium oder wir werden sehen" (TV, 1999).

His debut "Die Blindgänger" (2004) won him the German Film Award. In addition to his work as a freelance writer and director, he was part
of the jury at various film festivals and teaches as a guest lecturer at
the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Sahling's next project dealt with issues of childhood and school life: The documentary short "Ednas Tag" (2009) follows a young refugee girl from Bosnia during a regular day at her new school in Germany.

Sahling's third feature film also addressed problems of adolescence: "Kopfüber" (2013) tells the story of a ten-year-old boy who suffers from ADHD and is put on sedatives.